AlexChisholm's picture
AlexChisholm from Scotland is reading Stone Voices by Neil Ascherson February 5, 2013 - 2:08pm

The book is written. Copies are sent out with high expectation. A few good reviews come in and then things fizzle out. It's hard to get noticed in a crowded world of books.

What do you do? Carry on beating yourself up to get your work out there or shrug your shoulders and get on with the next project? Probably both.

Facebook page is obvious but how much help?

A website is essential but unless there's a lot going on it becomes moribund.

What's a person to do?

http://alexchisholmscotland.wordpress.com

 

 

Laramore Black's picture
Laramore Black from Joplin, Missouri is reading Mario Kart 8 February 5, 2013 - 3:41pm

I'll have to get back to you about my marketing tactics when I try them out in a couple months. But, a Facebook page is practically useless unless you can pay to promote every post. Don't put yourself into delusions like so many authors are doing with trying to like-whore a Facebook fan-page. 

I once tried this myself and got a fan-page up to over one-thousand 'likes', but only 10% of your 'fans' are only going to see your posts. You see Facebook pages use something called EdgeRank you should research, once someone hasn't interacted with your page for a while they won't be seeing your posts. This is Facebook's security system to stop pages from being abused, you know unless you buy into it. This thing going around to fix it by authors on such networks, telling people to 'favorite' their page to see all posts is just as useless because the people who favorite were probably having common interactions with the page anyway.

It's a big hyperbolic waste of time unless you've already reached success.

Your best bet on the current Facebook platforms for whoring yourself would be to build a network of like-minded people trying to do the same thing. You do this by joining various Facebook groups and requesting friendship with people you have styles in common with, writers or not, there's at least more people who are likely to read your work in the beginning. 'Followers' for a Facebook profile are also better than page 'likes' on the current model because it does the same thing as 'liking' and 'favoriting' a page.

The Twitter game is much the same, don't fall into the '#followback' game. It's better to have a network of peers, friends, and growing fans with actual interest than it is to have people trying to market themselves. All those people with over 10k followers aren't even seeing your posts anymore unless you are spamming everyone who uses Twitter normally. You will waste a lot of time with this if nobody tells you the truth from the get go. People might argue everyone who follows you in this manner is a possible fan, but in the end it'll just make you look bad. In my eyes it's better to disconnect from this idea that authors must whore themselves like this without any class because in reality there are far more people who won't read someone's work who is doing this. I sure won't and there was no difference between the 700 or so people interested in continuing to follow me now and the 2500 I had when I attempted this tact.

That's about it when it comes to social networking. G+ is good to have but no one really uses it, honestly. Your best bet to gain a following is by creating a platform online that not only puts you in front of more people with every post, but keeps people following you interested in the long run. I was lucky to figure this all out for myself by watching people who have lots or some success before I really started and it's something people need to teach to new people on the scene before they make fools of themselves.

Like I said, it'll still be a couple months until I can give people the results of my book marketing tactics. One thing is sure though, social networks aren't everything. The main marketing comes from the book itself. Chances are if it's out and it isn't a hit, it probably won't ever be. But you can still market it in ways to keep people buying it. It's my belief you shouldn't think your first book will bring you anything, that maybe authors should use it as an introduction to themselves. If I were you, I'd look up every publication and review site available and offer each of them a free copy to review, regardless of their size. Also, giving it away to over 2000 people won't translate into 2000 reviews, good or bad either. But if just %10 percent leave a review, you've already surpassed most authors on Goodreads and Amazon.

Don't look to get rich, look to get your work and name out to people who might care to see it.

That's my $100 anyway, hope it helps.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated February 5, 2013 - 7:39pm

I think I might do a $100 give away, or some variation of.

AlexChisholm's picture
AlexChisholm from Scotland is reading Stone Voices by Neil Ascherson February 6, 2013 - 8:18am

Thanks for your thoughts Laramore. It's clear that the real hard work comes after the book is out. I know enough writers to realise that being an author is not usually a direct route to get rich. It's a hobby with me. I do publish magazine articles for small amounts but just enjoy writing.

The thing is whatever can be done takes time and I think I should be getting on with the next piece of work.

I hope your have more success than me when your book comes out.

As for bribing people to read Dwayne - well I'm not that desperate - yet.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated February 6, 2013 - 8:29am

Start desperate, that way all you have to go is up.

AlexChisholm's picture
AlexChisholm from Scotland is reading Stone Voices by Neil Ascherson February 7, 2013 - 4:33am

I'll hold that thought while I wait around. Doesn't sound too bad.